Introducing the BR1 M2M!

[Eddy_Yeung]

You can find information here

Connecting a serial device to the IP network with Pepwave MAX

Selected Pepwave MAX routers feature a RS-232 serial interface on the built-in terminal block. The RS-232 serial interface can be used to connect to a serial device and make it accessible over an TCP/IP network. The serial interface can be enabled and parameters can be set on the web admin page under Advanced > UART. Make sure they match the serial device you are connecting to. [image] There are 4 pins i.e. TX, RX, RTS, CTS on the terminal block for serial connection and they correspond to th…

[JonathanGroves]

I note from studying the WebAdmin Advanced UART page that the Operation Mode selector is a pull-down, with only “TCP Server Mode” populated in the source code. Is there an intent to add further modes to the UART function, please?

I imagine folks might have a use for mirroring a port to another BR1 M2M device remotely…

[WeiMing]

@JonathanGroves

I imagine folks might have a use for mirroring a port to another BR1 M2M device remotely…

Would you elaborate further on this application use case?

[JonathanGroves]

Certainly…
This concept requires the M2M device to be able to act as Client, when ‘paired’ with another M2M configured as ‘Server’, all data received on the 232 port is sent to the other device and outputted through the 232 port at the other end. And the same in reverse.
Use Cases:

1. Legacy PLC point-to-point link previously using POTS with modems (or perhaps leased lines) replaced with a pair of BR1 M2M devices to save costs, or to mitigate a temporary line problem.

2. Legacy diagnostics data output on trainborne equipment using RS232. When a particular train is causing problems, put an M2M in the train and another on the Technician’s desk rather than send her to sit on a train all day.

Hope this helps.

[lenl]

Does the serial port support PPP?

[WeiMing]

@JonathanGroves

This concept requires the M2M device to be able to act as Client, when ‘paired’ with another M2M configured as ‘Server’, all data received on the 232 port is sent to the other device and outputted through the 232 port at the other end. And the same in reverse.

It looks like the scenario needs TCP Client Mode, where this feature is targeted on 7.2.0 firmware.

Serial to network client mode br1 mini

Hi Aziz, Marcus, We are going to support TCP Client mode in the next major release 7.2.0. Thanks, Lewis

Do take note that the pair of MAX BR1-M2M is merely the medium to transport the packets over in [Serial->TCP->Serial] format, with no intelligent to recognize the content of the data sending over.

@lenl

Does the serial port support PPP?

Would you mind to elaborate more on your use case as PPP usually meant for Dial-up access to Internet?

[JonathanGroves]

Hi @WeiMing.
Please could you advise when we can expect to get access to Firmware 7.2.0?
Many thanks.

[JonathanGroves]

< bump, bump! >

[WeiMing]

@JonathanGroves, we have renamed the 7.2.0 to 8.0.0, currently, in Beta 3.

You can download the 8.0.0 Beta 3 here.

[JonathanGroves]

Thanks very much for the update.

Kind Regards,

JG.

[hcardenas]

Hi!

Can you please tell what is this terminal block for?

Thanks!

[StevenBrown]

@hcardenas

Hi!

Can you please tell what is this terminal block for?

Thanks!

Same as my question guys what is this terminal block?

[TK_Liew]

This is for GPIO. It is for future enhancement.

[StevenBrown]

@TK_Liew

This is for GPIO. It is for future enhancement.

Ok got it thanks for your reply friend.

[JonathanGroves]

Hi, @WeiMing.
So I installed the Beta you linked (thanks very much).
I have three questions, please…

1. Is the RS232 port compatible with “normal” RS232 devices, or just Cisco console connections?
2. Is the port DCE or DTE type?
3. Please can you provide a pinout diagram for the DB9 male connector?
   Thanks and warm regards,

Jonathan

[JonathanGroves]

Hi again.
So I worked out the wiring (need a null modem adaptor to use with Ugreen Prolific USB to 232 cable). The device does echo “proper” RS232 from Client to Server. I have been unable to make the transmission work with a computer listening on the Client end when a computer sends data from the Server end. Is this even possible or is the link intended to be only simplex?
Many thanks.

Jonathan

[hcardenas]

Noted with thanks!

[WeiMing]

@JonathanGroves, would you able to share the physical connectivity diagram to illustrate your setup? We would like to know what are the components that establish end-to-end connectivity.

Or, you may submit a support ticket for us to take a closer look at it?

BTW, the MAX BR1-M2M DB9 is DTE, just like what has been described here.

[JonathanGroves]

Hi @WeiMing, thanks for your reply.

I’ll ask our Network people for the relevant information about the infrastructure used in the office because I don’t know the details.
Meanwhile, please can you confirm that the link is intended to be full duplex? Here’s what I mean…

If I set up two PCs, one sending a stream of RS232 data and one listening for it, as shown below, the data passes correctly:

TCP Server M2M TCP Client M2M
Receiving PC Sending PC

But if I set it up as shown below, it works initially, but this does not survive a reboot of both M2Ms:

TCP Server M2M TCP Client M2M
Sending PC Receiving PC

So the question is: when we have two M2Ms, one set up as TCP Server and one as TCP Client, should the TCP Client device be able to receive data initiated on the Server? How can the TCP Server device know where to send the data to?

Thanks.

[WeiMing]

@JonathanGroves, have discussed with the relevant team and suggest to tweak the [TCP Client BR1-M2M] settings as below, see that will help or not.

When the “Connection Control” set to “Start / None”, the TCP client will try to reconnect to the server regardless of the serial input, this will keep the session maintains.

If this doesn’t help, then we might want to handle it via the support ticket with the specialized team involvement.